As Bradley Cooper cheered on the Los Angeles Lakers from courtside seats on Wednesday night, he took a few minutes to chat with pal Jason Bateman. In our rom-com addled brain, their topic of conversation centered on Jennifer Aniston, Cooper's purported love interest du jour and Bateman's frequent co-star.

We imagine they talked about how the tabloids have pounced on a recent report that Jen, 42, has resumed contact with Bradley, 36, following his breakup last month from Renee Zellweger after nearly two years of togetherness.

Case in point: the latest Us Weekly, in which "multiple sources insist" that nothing lovey-dovey is going on between the pair, who went on a single date in 2009 right before the actor hooked up with Renee.

"They were looking at projects to work on together," an insider maintains to the mag. "Bradley loves Jennifer as a friend."

Among the ostensible roadblocks to a second coming of Jen and Brad: The career-focused Cooper doesn't want to be known as "Mr. Jennifer Aniston"; and he's still dealing with the loss of his father earlier this year and isn't looking to settle down.

Still, that hasn't stopped In Touch from claiming that Jen, whose rep has denied the reconnection chatter, is "headed for heartbreak again" because she's not obeying the "once bitten, twice shy" dating rule (remember, she apparently felt "screwed over" when Bradley began dating Renee).

Instead, she's supposedly "thrilled" to be on the receiving end of Cooper's attentions and has welcomed him back with "open arms" (cue slow-motion wooing montage set against a Journey power ballad).

Meanwhile, OK! (via Celebitchy) alleges it was Aniston who reached out when she learned of the "Hangover" star's split with Zellweger.

"Their similarities in lifestyles and likes and dislikes are uncanny," oversells a source. "They're both drama-free."

Plus, the insider notes, "There was definitely a feeling of unfinished business for her. He's the kind of guy she'd love to be with. He's charming and very sweet, and she thinks he's gorgeous."

Oh, but you see, unlucky-in-love Jen (or so label the tabs) has learned to take things slowly.

"She knows how important Bradley's career is to him," says the spy, "and she admires how dedicated he is, so she's being patient."

So patient that no one has seen them together since the romance rumors began. What do you think? Is there something happening between Jen and Bradley, or is this a figment of the tabloids' feverish imagination? Tell us in the comments.